Trousers-stretcher



. (No Model.) 7

W. J. MOCUY. TROUSERS STRETUHER.

No. 561,806. Patented June 9, 1896.

- INVENTOH WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS.

' 7 Eur UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

lVlLLlAM .l. MCCOY, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

TROUSERS-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,806, dated June 9,1896. Application filed October 9, 1895. Serial No. 565,110, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM J. MCCOY, of Santa Barbara, in the countyof Santa Barbara and State of California, have invented a new andImproved Trousers-Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description.

My invention relates to an improved device for stretching the legs oftrousers to remove wrinkles in the cloth and preserve correct form ofthe garment, and has for its object to provide a novel, simple, andinexpensive device which will be adapted for a convenient application,and that in pairs will, when in position, produce a crease at the frontand rear faces of the legs of trousers to which the duplicate stretchersare applied and remove wrinkles from other portions of the same.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar numerals of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved stretcher device. Fig. 2represents the improvement applied to the leg of a pair of trousers; andFig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of parts of the stretcher, takenon the line 8 3 in 2.

The invention, in brief, comprises two bars of rigid material that arepivoted between their ends to the ends of an extensible link, whichpermits the bars to be moved toward or from each other when swung on thelink, so that said bars may be entered in the leg of a pair of trousersand receive adjustment on dwise to spread the leg and stretch thefibrous material of the same, removing wrinkles and creasing the goodsat the front and rear of the trousers-legs when both are operated upon,thereby givin g a new and fashionable appearance to the garment.

In the drawings, 10 represents the pair of stretcher-bars, which aresimilar elongated strips formed of hard wood or other suitable material,these strips being preferably shaped as shown, each consisting of arigid bar that is mainly parallel on the sides and also on the edges,having the outer corners of the ends rounded to facilitate the use ofthe complete device, and the outer edge of each bar is beveled to reduceits thickness and afford a nearly-sharp edge, as indicated in Fig. 1.

Near the center of length each bar 10 is longitudinally slotted from theinner edge nearly through or to the outer edge, as indicated at 11,these slots being produced at the center of thickness in each bar and ofa correct length to permit the free movement of parts that are designedto work therein.

The extensible link that is provided to loosely connect thestretcher-bars 10 is preferably formed of two thin metallic strips 12,that are of a like form, and have such relative dimensions as willinsure their efficient action in service.

One of the linlcsections 12 is perforated in series, as shown at 13,these evenly-spaced perforations being shaped as similar longitudinalslots, which are enlarged at the same end of each, so as to producecircular apertures at said terminals of the slots, and having aconsiderable greater diameter than the width of the slots. The otherlink-section 12 is provided with two projecting studs 14, which are ofthe same size and shape, each having a body that will freely slide ineither of the slots 18, and a head on the free end of the same whichwill readily pass through the circular hole at the end of one of theslots, but will bear on the marginal edges of the slot if the stud isslid therein.

The studs 1 are so located on the same side of the link-section theyproject from that they will be adapted to pass into any two of the slots18 that are adjacent, the heads of the studs being inserted in theenlarged portions of the slots, and their bodies then moved along in theslots proper, which will produce a substantial connection of the twolinksections, which can be readily changed to lengthen or shorten thelink in an obvious bars toward or from each other, and that said barsmay also be moved in parallel planes to increase or diminish thedistance between them, it being evident that this range of adj ustmentreaches the point of greatest separation of the bars when the link is atright angles to said bars, or in the relative position shown in Fig. 2.

To apply the improvement to trousers for the removal of wrinkles, bylaterally stretching the legs of the same, the device is introduced intothe trousers-leg after the bars 10 have been made to approach eachother, so as to freely admit them, this adjustment serving to projectthe ends of the bars past each other at each end of the device.

After the instrument has been introduced and properly arranged so as todispose the outer edges of the bars 10 opposite the front and rearsurface of the trousers leg said bars are spread apart by pressureapplied to the ends that are advanced beyond the other terminals of thebars, which will produce a forcible impinge of the stretcher-bars on theinner surface of the engaged leg of the trousers, as is represented inFig. 2.

For effective service the length of the twopart link should be arrangedto suit the width of the trousers-legs, so that when the device isadjusted, as shown in Fig. 2, with the bars at their point of greatestseparation, the material of the garment will be sufficiently stretchedto effect the removal of wrinkles and produce the desired creases in theleg.

As the stretcher device should remain in the trousers-leg some time, sayfrom one to several hours, to expedite the stretching of both legs ofthe garment it is best to provide duplicate stretchers, which whenapplied at the same time will shorten the period required to effect thedesired result.

It is claimed for the improved stretcher that it is simple, cheap, andpractical, and when not in use may be folded into a compact form forconvenient storage in the corner or a closet or other place of deposit,taking up but little available room when thus disposed; and it isfurther claimed that by employing a single link instead of two or more,as heretofore, there will not only be a longitudinal rubbing action ofthe bars against the trousers material while the stretcher is beinginserted, which will aid materially in forming the creases, but thestretcher will automatically conform to the longitudinal pitch of thetrousers-leg.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In a trousers-stretcher, the combination with twostretcher-bars longitudinally slotted between their ends, of aconnecting-link consisting of two plates having their ends projectedinto the slots and pivoted to the bars, one of said plates beingprovided with slotopenin gs and the other-provided with projections toengage in the slots whereby the two plates will be held in parallelismwhen adjusted, substantially as described.

2. In a trousers-stretcher, the combination with two similarstretcher-bars longitudinally slotted near their centers of length, of acon- .necting-link, comprising two plates, one plate being slotted inseries at evenly-spaced intervals in its length, and the other platebeing provided with studs having heads, the slots having enlargedopenings to receive the heads of the studs, and the composite link beingpivoted by its ends in the slots of the stretcherba'rs, substantially asdescribed.

\VILLIAM J. MCCOY. lVitnesses:

\V. O. B. RALHBUN, F. M. GALLAHER.

